New and familiar faces on the Board of Trustees
NYU Law’s Board of Trustees welcomed four new members and four returning members at its October meeting. Robert Kopple LLM ’68, Cyrus Benson ’91, Sarah Davidoff ’96, and Julie Ehrlich ’08 took seats on the Board for the first time, while Kathryn Chenault ’80 and Breon Peace ’96 rejoined the Board and Vijaya Gadde ’00 and Andrew Klein JD/MBA ’08 moved from life trustee status to trustee. As a group, the new and returning trustees bring broad expertise and experience in disciplines that include finance, litigation, philanthropy, technology, tax, and international law.
New Trustees
Robert Kopple LLM ’68
Kopple is a founding partner of Kopple, Klinger & Elbaz. Since 1992, the Los Angeles-based law firm has specialized in family wealth and estate planning, complex business transactions, and tax. As a nationally recognized expert on tax law, Kopple has lectured extensively on the subject at institutions such as NYU Law’s Tax Institute, the University of Southern California Tax Institute, and the University of Miami Institute on Estate Planning. Additionally, he has been published in outlets that include the Journal of Taxation, Taxes Magazine, and Major Tax Planning. Kopple also co-authored the book Taxation of the Motion Picture Industry. Throughout his career, Kopple has chaired or participated in the tax section of organizations including the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the State Bar of California.
Cyrus Benson ’91
For most of his three-decade career in law, Benson has served as a widely respected international arbitrator. He has been involved in over 100 arbitration disputes worldwide, including more than 20 as arbitrator. In June, Benson joined the UK-based firm 4 New Square. Qualified to practice law in both New York and England, he has cultivated expertise in many sectors, including oil and gas, energy, telecommunications, finance, financial services, and infrastructure. For his work in international arbitration, Benson was named to the Legal 500 UK’s Hall of Fame in 2024.
Sarah Davidoff ’96
Davidoff is a partner in Ropes & Gray’s asset management group. For more than 25 years, she has advised some of the world’s largest and most prominent asset managers on buyouts, credit, growth equity, and venture capital funds. Davidoff is also recognized for her pioneering work in designing and launching one of the first hybrid funds more than a decade ago. Her many accolades include being named a “Notable Woman in Law” by Crain’s New York Business in 2023. Davidoff is chair of the New York City’s Bar Committee on Private Investment Funds.
Julie Ehrlich ’08
Ehrlich served as assistant dean of strategic initiatives and chief of staff at NYU Law under then-Dean Trevor Morrison, and as executive director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center (BWLC). Today, Ehrlich is executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Mellon Foundation. The New York City-based foundation funds a wide range of initiatives in the arts and humanities nationwide. Ehrlich’s portfolio includes overseeing the office of the president, grantmaking, human resources, and technology. Ehrlich also serves on the advisory boards of the BWLC and We The Action, an online platform that connects nonprofit organizations nationwide to pro bono legal aid.
Returning Trustees
Kathryn Chenault ’80
Chenault is a philanthropist who along with her husband, Ken Chenault, the former chairman and CEO of American Express, supports many arts, educational, and health care initiatives and organizations. After starting her career as an associate at Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine, Chenault joined the United Negro College Fund in 1984 and later served as its vice president of national, corporate, and foundation support programs. Chenault has served on the boards of institutions that include the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the National Parks Foundation, and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Breon Peace ’96
Peace is co-leader of the Litigation Group at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. From 2021 to 2025, he served as US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Peace first joined Cleary in 1996, then clerked for Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He served as an assistant US attorney for the Eastern District of New York from 2000 to 2003, and then taught at the Law School as an acting assistant professor of clinical law before rejoining Cleary, where he became a partner in 2007.
Vijaya Gadde ’00
Gadde, former chief legal officer at Twitter, serves on the boards of Planet, Guardant Health, and Mercy Corps. Before joining Twitter in 2011, Gadde was a senior director and associate general counsel, corporate at Juniper Networks. From 2000 to 2010, she was an associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Gadde is a co-founder and partner of #Angels, an investment collective that funds and supports diverse and innovative start-ups.
Andrew Klein JD/MBA ’08
Klein is the CEO and founder of BullsBridge Capital, a real estate investment company. Earlier, he was managing partner at Cogent Capital and a partner with Real Capital. As a student at NYU Law, Klein was president and founder of the JD/MBA Association and helped launch the Leadership Program in Law and Business. Klein now serves on the advisory board for NYU Law’s Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital Program.
